Everyday's A Birthday: Donovan Christie

Growing up as an '90s kid, nostalgia naturally runs deep in my veins. It was a time when the world seemed simpler, and childhood was lived outdoors, from sunrise to sunset on anything that had wheels. A handful of shrapnel could buy you kilos of hot chips wrapped in newspaper from the local fish and chip shop, with enough change to fill your pockets with mixed lollies from the snack bar. Nostalgia has always taken the main role of my work; I see it as the overarching subject. Today, my practice focuses on the Australian landscape and the pop culture embedded within it. I'm perhaps best known for my oil paintings of humble corner stores and shopfronts, with my last exhibition shining a light on the character and charm of Australia's iconic milk bars. For this upcoming series, however, I'm taking us indoors, into the suburban family home, the kitchen/dining room to be more specific. It's a place where magic and mayhem collide: taking aim at the holy grail of kids' birthdays, a mother's nightmare at times; the 1980s Women's Weekly Birthday Cake Book! Every mum owned a copy during the 80's, 90's up until today. Each year, you'd sit down with mum the night before your birthday and pick out which one you're going to torture the poor woman with... A true labour of love! Being raised by a single mother, she gave me independence and ambition from a young age. I got my entrepreneurial spirit from her very early on; handmaking gift cards and bookmarks to sell door to door from the age of 4. I truly don't believe I'd be an artist today without the drive, creativity, and resilience she instilled in me as run amuck kid. This exhibition is dedicated to you, Mum, thanks for everything!